


Celebration

by Nympha_Alba



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M, Post-Series, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 21:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18747331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nympha_Alba/pseuds/Nympha_Alba
Summary: It's been ten years sinceMerlinfirst aired. The cast and crew are going to celebrate the anniversary, but Bradley and Colin don't seem very interested in attending the party. What could be the reason…?





	Celebration

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the **Merlin RPF Promptacular Fest of 2019**.
> 
> Contains some poetic licence regarding timelines (and a few other things).
> 
> Thank you, **mrs_leary** , for the great prompt!

When Angel enters the café, there's no need to look around: Katie jumps up from her sofa at the back with a loud squee, waving. Angel grins as she weaves between tables and lands in Katie's arms. "Hey, you!"

They hug and laugh and hug some more.

"At last!" Katie says, holding Angel at arm's length. "It's been ages. Look at you! You're _glowing_!"

"And you," Angel counters. "Gorgeous as always." 

"I thought about you the other day," she says later over salads and Perrier. "It was absolutely miserable on set but someone offered me a hot water bottle. It did have a furry cover but it wasn't as cute as Hugo by a long shot!"

"Those were the good old days," Katie says, chasing an asparagus tip around the bowl. "I'm quite looking forward to the Merlin ten-year celebrations. I'm so glad you're going too."  


Angel raises her glass. "Here's to the good old days in France. Have you heard anything from Colin? Or Bradley?"

"Ah-ah-ah!" Katie points at her with the fork. "Bechdel!"

They both laugh. They used to do this all the time back then, checking themselves when the conversation turned to guys.

"Point," Angel says. "But still – have you?"

Katie frowns. "I texted with Colin about a week ago. He seemed strangely… I don't know, kind of evasive? Like he didn't want to come but wouldn't say so."

"Hmm." Angel chews a mouthful of salad pensively. "When I chatted with Bradley he was evasive, too. Waved the question aside with a joke, Bradley style. It would be too bad if they couldn't come."

"Or wouldn't," says Katie. "Let's call them when we've eaten, and apply some pressure."

"Excellent," Angel agrees. "Now, let's be respectful of Bechdel! What have you been up to lately? Tell me everything!"

***

This post-performance mood is one of the things Colin loves most in the world. Adrenaline and energy, joy and relief, all senses heightened. The night air is cool against his face as he leaves the theatre, his skin is hyper-aware of the fabric of his clothes as he half-runs across the street where there's no crossing, hands shoved in his jeans pockets.

He unlocks the door to his flat, kicks off his shoes and allows himself to feel how tired he is.

But not too tired to answer the door at the knock.

Bradley fills the entire flat with his presence. "I still can't believe we manage to be in the same place at the same time."

"No less than a miracle," Colin agrees.

"How did it go tonight?"

"Better than yesterday." He stretches. "Jesus, I'm knackered."

Bradley is so close behind that Colin can feel his breath. "I know the perfect way to make you relax." His lips are just touching the nape of Colin's neck.

"Yeah?" Colin turns around; Bradley doesn't move. Their noses nearly collide. They both wear anticipatory smiles.

"Yeah."

Colin hooks his thumbs in the belt loops of Bradley's jeans. "Show me, then."

Bradley does.

***

"Oh," says Bradley later, "I nearly forgot." He reaches over and pulls Colin to him, hard. "Mum asked me to hug you from her. Now I have, like the dutiful son I am."

Colin laughs against Bradley's neck. "Thank you. She probably imagined we'd have clothes on, though."

Bradley rolls his eyes. "I have no idea what she imagined, Col."

"Hug her back," Colin murmurs. "With your shirt on."

Bradley's mum adores Colin. _Everyone_ adores Colin, Bradley included. 

Adores is a stupid word, but it helps Bradley avoid another one; a deeper word, a more difficult one. 

The L word.

***

The London night is growing quieter outside. Inside it's dark and warm, no telly on, no music playing, only the sound of their breathing as they lie together in the rumpled bed.

Bradley cushions his head on Colin's chest and closes his eyes as Colin gently combs his fingers through Bradley's hair, again and again. Just being with Colin like this takes Bradley's breath away. The sex is fantastic, has always been fantastic, but this is its own kind of marvel. These slow, peaceful moments afterwards, when the urgency is gone and only tenderness left.

"Ten years," he murmurs. "Ten years since the first time."

Colin's smile is audible, somehow. "Oh, god. We were so young. Everything was so new and exciting… Right little puppies we were. All panting and eager. "

Bradley grins. "I was so obsessed with you. I mean, totally obsessed. Those cameras they gave us! I followed you around like…"

"…a puppy," Colin finishes.

"No, more clingy and insistent than that, I think. Like a bat caught in your hair or something."

Colin laughs. "Lovely image, that."

"And then the… hiatus." Bradley sits up. He isn't smiling now. A street light outside makes Colin's face just visible, enough for Bradley to see the long lashes swoop as Colin looks down at his hands. "All these years."

Voices and footsteps wax and wane outside. Doors slam, an engine starts, but Bradley hears only his own heartbeat. He doesn't know how to continue.

"Yeah, it was… long." Colin looks up. "I'm glad we're here now, though."

In the end it had been so simple, after all this time. Bradley had gone to see Colin at the theatre, admired him on the stage as always, been invited back to the flat, and then into the bed. Four days ago. Four nights in each other's arms. And this time, Bradley doesn't want to leave.

"Me too." He swallows. "So what happens now?"

Colin slowly shakes his head. "I don't know."

"What would you like to happen?"

"I… I don't know."

Bradley takes a breath. "I do. I don't want any more hiatuses. – Is that a word? Hiat…i? – No more breaks or excuses or hesitation. I'd like us to have a proper go at it this time. Try this out for real." A pause. "How does that sound to you?"

Colin's eyes come up to his. "That sounds… really fucking excellent."

***

"So," says Colin over breakfast. "What do you reckon, can we get out of the _Merlin_ party?"

Considering the lack of sleep last night, he feels weirdly fresh and awake and… well, happy. And why shouldn't he be? On the other side of the table, the most gorgeous man alive is drinking coffee out of a mug with a Tardis on it. 

"It'd be pretty lame if Arthur and Merlin didn't show up for a celebration in their name," Bradley says. He puts the Tardis mug on the table. "On the other hand, the celebration is strictly in _Merlin's_ name, so maybe Arthur could…"

"Oooo no," Colin says. "Ohoho no. Don't think for a minute you're going to get out of it if I have to go."

Bradley laughs, tipping his chair back on two legs. "I didn't think so. Anyway, it won't be that bad. I don't think anyone will be astonished. Or even mildly surprised."

"By what?"

Bradley lets the chair crash back onto its four legs. "By us being… together."  


Colin drinks deeply from his cooling coffee. Presumably he's more astonished than anyone else. "So… we're making… an announcement?"

Bradley shrugs, spinning the Tardis around on the table in front of him. "Maybe not, but we're not going to hide, either." He gets up and walks around behind Colin's chair. "If I want to do _this_ ," he leans down and kisses the back of Colin's neck, "I will."  


A shiver runs down Colin's back, a shiver of the good kind. "Okay." He gets up and stands face to face with Bradley.

Bradley begins to smile. "Okay?"

Colin nods. "Okay. Let's do this. Let's go celebrate this poor bloke named Merlin, yellow eyes and horrible haircut and tattered scarves and all."

Bradley pulls Colin close. "I can't wait."


End file.
